'What is a self, and how can a self come out of inaminate matter?' This book examines this riddle. Linking together the music of J S Bach, the graphic art of Escher and the mathematical theorems of Godel, as well as ideas drawn from logic, biology, psychology, physics and linguistics, it reveals the mysteries of human thought processes.

A sharp-tongued, quick-witted dictionary with a difference from the much-loved, insolent and corageous Ambrose Bierce. An American classic.

After ten years of The Far Side , this is the distillation of Gary Larson's humour. The book contains early cartoons, some of Larson's favourites with comments, some that didn't quite make it and many other facets of the cartoon series.

This is a pocket-sized A-Z guide to 500 great painters and sculptors from medieval to modern times. Each artist is represented by a full-page colour plate of typical work, accompanied by information on each image and its creator. Artists, styles and subject matter are cross referenced.

Includes the stories, acrostics and puzzles written by Lewis Carroll.

Includes words and phrases (Al-Qaeda, 9/11), characters, places (and monsters) from fantasy literature (including The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter ), political and sporting nicknames. This dictionary includes 'list entries' like misattributed quotations, first lines of novels, and the 'etymologies' of rock group names.